Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 595: The Final Trial; One Heaven Sorcerer!

CH595 The Final Trial; One Heaven Sorcerer!

The Captain suddenly discovered he was standing in the center of an expansive, sterile white void.

Shortly thereafter, an elderly figure he felt he should recognize, though he remained unfamiliar with the man, manifested directly in his path.

The old man gestured toward the Captain, and in a fleeting moment, the Captain’s physical appearance underwent a dramatic metamorphosis.

He was no longer the Captain; he had become Alex Fury.

Memories flooded into his consciousness, rushing back with the force of a bursting dam.

“What made you orchestrate the circumstances so that you were the only survivor?” the enigmatic elder inquired.

“Because my perspective on humanity surpassed theirs,” Alex answered with steady composure.

“They perished firmly believing history would recount their deeds as those of noble heroes.”

“Yet, as the sole individual who escaped death, I alone see the true colors of those they fought to save.”

“Heroes hold value only during periods of absolute chaos.”

“Once the catastrophe subsides, those very heroes are discarded immediately; they serve as a painful reminder of history people would prefer to bury.”

He paused momentarily to collect his thoughts before pressing on.

“I acted as I did because the sin demanded a keeper.”

“Our actions were a necessity to preserve the world, but it fell to the one left breathing to carry the weight of that survival.”

“None of them possessed the strength to shoulder such a burden.”

“That duty belonged to me alone.”

“The naive boy who knew nothing had to be the first to go.”

“Following him was the kind-hearted soul masked by a callous exterior.”

“Then came the two soldiers, devoted to their path through and through.”

“And at last, the cynic who hid behind the persona of a dark jester.”

Alex’s voice did not waver.

“By comparison, I alone could hold this sin and keep my mind intact.”

“Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly...”

“I was the singular person who could confront the inevitable betrayal waiting back home—a betrayal I anticipated, or rather, one I knew was a certainty.”

The mysterious elder offered no reaction to his statement.

Instead, he posed another query.

“You held the capability to eradicate your detractors and seize dominion over the world. Why abstain?”

Alex hesitated.

For a fleeting second, a recollection from a previous existence drifted to the surface.

It was a memory from when he collaborated with elite government special forces to evaluate one of his corporate prototypes.

During their exchange, he asked those soldiers whether they carried regrets for deeds performed in the line of duty.

Every one of them gave an affirmative reply.

Yet, none were willing to divulge the specifics of those dark moments.

He then questioned if they would act differently, given the power to reverse time.

If they could return to the precise second of those questionable acts, would they choose to intervene?

The answer remained uniform.

No.

They would repeat their actions exactly.

When questioned as to why, they all provided the same justification.

“Because I was a soldier,” Alex remarked to the elder, echoing those buried words.

“I performed my duty according to the limit of my potential,” he continued.

“To some extent, their judgments were not entirely erroneous. You might label me a monster, a butcher, or a cannibal.”

“Even if my goal was to save the world, my deeds were heinous crimes. And for that, I was due for judgment.”

“Which is precisely the turn events took.”

He stopped for an instant.

“Conversely, had I refuted their accusations and massacred my opposition...”

“I would have validated their darkest accusations.”

“I would have become the villain they painted me to be.”

“Ultimately, the most logical course was to honor my duty while accepting the harsh reality of my standing.”

“A military maxim from my original world comes to mind...”

“‘This is no place for heroes or good men. If you desire heroism, stay home.’”

Alex’s gaze remained unwavering.

“I never sought to be a hero.”

“Whether the world views me as a savior or a villain, it is irrelevant.”

“My only priority was the completion of my mission.”

“I ensured the world endured.”

“Because of that achievement, these people now enjoy the luxury of either offering praise or delivering condemnation.”

“So, due to your obligations as a soldier, you opted to swallow their hatred, their burden, and the shame of your own history?” the old man asked.

Alex inclined his head in acknowledgment.

“That, combined with the fact that a leader cannot, and should not, flee from the fallout of their victories.”

“A leader must endure them.”

Alex let out a breath and shook his head.

The concluding trial had proved to be a somber affair.

By sealing his memories and allowing only his core instincts to remain, the trial forced Alex to make decisions he would authentically execute in such a bleak environment.

It is a common belief that one cannot truly establish their morality until they are backed into a corner.

In such a moment, does one prioritize their own survival?

Or does one embrace a greater cause, placing the lives of others above one's own desires?

Beyond the simple binary of Alex’s choice, the trial unveiled a deeper revelation.

It laid bare the perspective he held toward the world.

It exposed the minimal trust he held for the integrity of his peers.

Before even arriving home, he had already reached a verdict on their behalf.

He had usurped their right to choose.

He might argue he had planned for the worst while harboring hope for the best...

But was that actually his motivation?

Or was there a more cynical intent hidden beneath that logic?

The mysterious figure scrutinized the youth in silence for an extended duration.

The Divergent Trial of Heavenly Secrets was orchestrated specifically to discern the true character of a potential successor.

The road ahead was not for those who lacked conviction.

Simultaneously, it was not suited for a soul devoid of empathy.

‘Regardless of anything else, it is clear he will persist until the very end,’ the elder mused.

Crack—!

Shater!

With a mere wave, the landscape surrounding them shattered into fragments.

An instant later, they found themselves standing before the stone stele once more.

The atmosphere surrounding them felt stifling and grave.

The old man gestured to a small pavilion nestled to the right of the monument.

Alex followed him.

They took their seats, face to face, inside the structure.

“I shall answer the inquiries you hold,” the old man stated.

Alex nodded, his expression serious.

“First, permit me to introduce myself.”

“For most of my existence, I stood at the absolute zenith of my realm. I was known as the One beneath the Heavens.”

“Then, shortly before my eventual passing, I successfully pierced the Eighth Circle... and transformed into the One who transcended the Heavens.”

The elder’s eyes grew profound.

“You may refer to me as...”

“The One Heaven Sorcerer.”